Gaza ceasefire talks begin in Qatar as Netanyahu heads to Washington

Hamas has said it has responded to the latest ceasefire proposal in a positive spirit, but it seems clear there are still gaps between the two sides that need to be bridged if any deal is to be agreed.

He said he had given his negotiators clear instructions to achieve a ceasefire agreement under conditions Israel has accepted.

Netanyahu said he thinks his meeting with the US president on Monday should help progress efforts to reach a deal for the release of more hostages and a ceasefire in Gaza.

Delegations from Israel and Hamas have begun an indirect round of ceasefire talks in Qatar, as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu heads to Washington to meet Donald Trump.

For now, Hamas still seems to be holding out for essentially the same conditions it has previously insisted on - including a guarantee of an end to all hostilities at the end of any truce and the withdrawal of Israeli troops.

Netanyahu's government has rejected this before.

The Israeli position may also not have shifted to any major degree. As he was leaving Israel for the US, Netanyahu said he was still committed to what he described as three missions: "The release and return of all the hostages, the living and the fallen; the destruction of Hamas's capabilities - to kick it out of there, and to ensure that Gaza will no longer constitute a threat to Israel."

Qatari and Egyptian mediators will have their work cut out during the indirect talks between Israel and Hamas in trying to overcome these sticking points, which have have derailed other initiatives since the previous ceasefire ended in March.

Israel has since resumed its offensive against Hamas with great intensity, as well as imposing an eleven-week blockade on aid entering Gaza, which was partially lifted several weeks ago.

The Israeli government says these measures have been aimed at further weakening Hamas and forcing it to negotiate and free the hostages.

Just in the past 24 hours, the Israeli military says it struck 130 Hamas targets and killed a number of militants.

But the cost in civilian lives in Gaza continues to grow as well. Hospital officials in Gaza said more than 30 people were killed on Sunday.

The question now is not only whether the talks in Qatar can achieve a compromise acceptable to both sides - but also whether Trump can persuade Netanyahu that the war must come to an end at their meeting on Monday.

Many in Israel already believe that is a price worth paying to save the remaining hostages.

Once again, they came out on to the streets on Saturday evening, calling on Netanyahu to reach a deal so the hostages can finally be freed.

But there are hardline voices in Netanyahu's cabinet, including the national security minister Itamar Ben Gvir and the finance minister Bezalel Smotrich, who have once again expressed their fierce opposition to ending the war in Gaza before Hamas has been completely eliminated.

Once again, there is the appearance of real momentum towards a ceasefire deal, but uncertainty over whether either the Israeli government or Hamas is ready to reach an agreement that might fall short of the key conditions they have so far set.

And once again, Palestinians in Gaza and the families of Israeli hostages still held there are fervently hoping this will not be another false dawn.

The Israeli military launched a campaign in Gaza in response to Hamas's 7 October 2023 attacks, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage.

At least 57,338 people have been killed in Gaza since then, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry.

Parents of girls killed in school crash 'still waiting for answers'

6 hours ago Share Save Nick Johnson and George Sandeman BBC News Share Save

BBC Smera Chohan and Sajjad Butt, Nuria's parents, gathered with hundreds of others to remember the girls on Sunday

The parents of two eight-year-old girls who were killed when a car crashed into a London school say they are still waiting for answers two years later. Nuria Sajjad and Selena Lau died when a Land Rover ran into an end-of-term tea party at The Study Preparatory School in Wimbledon, on 6 July 2023. Speaking at a remembrance event on Sunday, Nuria's mother Smera Chohan said: "We have had to fight very hard - harder than any victim should ever have had to - but we remain committed to uncovering the truth about what happened." The event on Wimbledon Common, a short walk from the school, marked two years to the day since the girls died.

Last year the driver of the car, Claire Freemantle, 48, said she had "no recollection of what took place". She also expressed her "deepest sorrow for the families who have suffered such dreadful loss and injury". Ms Freemantle was arrested at the scene of the crash in 2023 but last June the Crown Prosecution Service said it would not charge her. They said she had suffered an epileptic seizure behind the wheel, which caused her to lose control of the vehicle that then crashed into the school. They added that there was no evidence Ms Freemantle had ever suffered a similar seizure before and she had no previously diagnosed medical condition.

Family handout Nuria Sajjad and Selena Lau were fatally injured when a Land Rover crashed into their school playground in 2023

However, in January she was rearrested on suspicion of causing death by dangerous driving after the Metropolitan Police said it had reviewed its investigation. Det Supt Lewis Basford said: "Our main priority is to ensure the lines of inquiry identified by the review are progressed. I would urge people to avoid speculation." At the time, the girls' parents welcomed this and said the reopened investigation should be carried out "in the pursuit of truth and the full facts". At Sunday's memorial event they expressed dismay at having to wait so long for answers. They said they wanted someone to be held accountable. Hundreds of people from the local community joined Ms Chohan, Sajjad Butt (Nuria's father), as well as Selena's parents Franky Lau and Jessie Deng, for the memorial event.

Franky Lau and Jessie Deng, Selena's parents, joined others in adorning commemorative benches with flowers

Members of the emergency services also participated in the moment of reflection and remembrance. Two benches created in the girls' memory were adorned with floral tributes and messages. Following a two minutes' silence - one minute for each girl - Ms Chohan delivered an emotional speech. "We still await answers for what happened on that fateful day... and with all your support, we will continue our fight until we have the answers we deserve." She added: "Nothing is going to make our lives the same again... we were parents. I sometimes don't know if I'm a mother, I need to know why I'm not a mother and Nuria deserved a thorough investigation." Mr Lau said: "We are still waiting, we want a version of events that adds up."

Helen Lowe, the school's former headteacher, and her successor Sharon Maher attended the event in Wimbledon

Wimbledon organisers have apologised after the electronic line-calling system on Centre Court was turned off in error and missed three calls in one game.

Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova said a game was 'stolen' from her after there was no 'out' call when a Sonay Kartal backhand went long in the first set of their fourth-round match.

The Russian stopped after seeing the ball go long, and chair umpire Nico Helwerth halted play.

The All England Club initially said the system was "deactivated on the point in question" because of "operator error".

A spokesperson said later on Sunday that, after further investigation, it was found the technology was "deactivated in error on part of the server's side of the court for one game".

During that time, three calls on the affected side of the court were not picked up.

Helwerth, who did not know the system had been turned off, called two of them himself before the incident highlighted by Pavlyuchenkova.

"We have apologised to the players involved," said a spokesperson for the All England Club.

"We continue to have full confidence in the accuracy of the ball-tracking technology.

"In this instance, there was a human error and as a consequence we have fully reviewed our processes and made the appropriate changes."

Murder inquiry after death of scientist on Dundee street

5 hours ago Share Save Megan Bonar BBC Scotland News Share Save

Police Scotland Dr Gomo completed her PhD at the University of Dundee in 2022

A man has been charged in connection with the death of a scientist after she was found seriously injured on a Dundee street. Dr Fortune Gomo, 39, who was originally from Zimbabwe, was pronounced dead at the scene of the incident, which happened on South Road at about 16:25 on Saturday. The 20-year-old suspect is expected to appear before Dundee Sheriff Court on Monday. Following a post mortem examination Police Scotland said the death was being treated as murder.

Dr Gomo, who worked for Scottish Water, lived locally and was a graduate of the University of Dundee. Prof Nigel Seaton, interim principal and vice-chancellor, said the university was "shocked" by the death of the former research assistant.

Police carried out extensive investigations at the scene on Sunday

Det Supt Peter Sharp, the officer in charge of the investigation, said: "Firstly, my thoughts remain with Fortune's family at this incredibly sad time. "They are being supported by specialist officers and I would ask that their privacy is respected." He added inquiries were continuing and said the incident "poses no wider risk to the public". The senior officer said his team were following a number of lines of inquiry. Det Supt Sharp added: "I am also acutely aware of content circulating on social media and would urge the public not to speculate about the circumstances of the incident. "The public will notice a visibly increased police presence in the area and I would encourage anyone who has any concerns to speak with our officers." Anyone with information about the incident is asked to contact the force.

A local woman, wearing a scarf featuring the colours of the Zimbabwe flag, left flowers near the scene on Sunday

Hamas security officer says group has lost control over most of Gaza

6 hours ago Share Save Rushdi Abualouf Gaza correspondent Reporting from Cairo Share Save

NurPhoto via Getty Images A displaced child plays inside a destroyed vehicle at the Arafat Police Academy in Gaza City

A senior officer in Hamas's security forces has told the BBC the Palestinian armed group has lost about 80% of its control over the Gaza Strip and that armed clans are filling the void. The lieutenant colonel said Hamas's command and control system had collapsed due to months of Israeli strikes that have devastated the group's political, military and security leadership. The officer was wounded in the first week of the war, which began after the Hamas-led attack on Israel on 7 October 2023, and has since stepped away from his duties for health reasons. He shared several voice messages with the BBC on condition of anonymity.

In the messages, the officer painted a picture of Hamas's internal disintegration and the near-total collapse of security across Gaza, which the group governed before the conflict. "Let's be realistic here - there's barely anything left of the security structure. Most of the leadership, about 95%, are now dead... The active figures have all been killed," he said. "So really, what's stopping Israel from continuing this war?" "Logically, it has to continue until the end. All the conditions are aligned: Israel has the upper hand, the world is silent, the Arab regimes are silent, criminal gangs are everywhere, society is collapsing." Last September, Israel's then-defence minister declared that "Hamas as a military formation no longer exists" and that it was engaged in guerrilla warfare. According to the officer, Hamas attempted to regroup during the 57-day ceasefire with Israel earlier this year, reorganizing its political, military, and security councils. But since Israel ended the truce in March, it has targeted Hamas's remaining command structures, leaving the group in disarray. "About the security situation, let me be clear: it has completely collapsed. Totally gone. There's no control anywhere," he said. "People looted the most powerful Hamas security apparatus (Ansar), the complex which Hamas used to rule Gaza. "They looted everything, the offices - mattresses, even zinc panels - and no-one intervened. No police, no security."

Anadolu via Getty Images Hamas-run security forces went out in uniform during a ceasefire with Israel in January

The officer said a consequence of the security vacuum was gangs or armed clans were "everywhere". "They could stop you, kill you. No one would intervene. Anyone who tried to act on their own, like organising resistance against thieves, was bombed by Israel within half an hour. "So, the security situation is zero. Hamas's control is zero. There's no leadership, no command, no communication. Salaries are delayed, and when they do arrive, they're barely usable. Some die just trying to collect them. It's total collapse." On 26 June, at least 18 people were killed when an Israeli drone strike targeted a plainclothes Hamas police unit attempting to assert control over a market in Deir al-Balah, accusing vendors of price gouging and selling looted aid, witnesses and medics said. The Israeli military said it struck "several armed terrorists" belonging to Hamas's Internal Security Forces.

Reuters At least 18 Palestinians were reportedly killed in an Israeli strike that targeted a Hamas-run police unit in Deir al-Balah on 26 June

In this vacuum, six armed groups affiliated with powerful local clans have emerged as serious contenders to fill the void, according to the officer. These groups have access to money, weapons and men, and are active across all of Gaza, but mostly in the south. One of them is led by Yasser Abu Shabab, a figure who has attracted attention from the Palestinian Authority, which is based in the occupied West Bank and is a rival to Hamas, as well as regional players - particularly after Israel confirmed last month that it was supplying him with weapons. The officer confirmed that Hamas had placed a large bounty on Abu Shabab's head, fearing he could become a unifying figure for its many enemies. "Hamas would ignore ordinary thieves. People are hungry and [the fighters] don't want to provoke more chaos. But this guy? If the Hamas fighters find him, they might go after him instead of Israeli tanks." Sources in Gaza told the BBC that Abu Shabab was working to co-ordinate with other armed groups to form a joint council aimed at toppling Hamas.

Reuters Armed members of a local clan said they accompanied a convoy of UN aid lorries in northern Gaza to protect it from looting last month

Eurostar train evacuated during nine-hour delay in northern France

3 hours ago Share Save Ian Aikman & Kris Bramwell BBC News Share Save

James Grierson Passengers were asked to leave the train which had broken down near Calais

A broken-down Eurostar train has been evacuated in northern France, causing a more than nine-hour delay to what was scheduled to be a two-hour journey. People said they were stuck on board without air conditioning or working toilets for four hours, before rescue teams arrived to hand out water and help them out of the carriages. Passengers have now arrived in London on a replacement train, which picked them up from the tracks just outside of Calais. Eurostar has apologised and offered affected customers a full refund. It said the train had come to a standstill due to a power failure and a rescue train had been "promptly dispatched" to collect passengers.

Members of the UK folk band Stornoway, who were travelling on the train, staged an impromptu trackside performance for other stranded passengers while they waited for the replacement service to arrive.

Stornoway Stornoway played an acoustic version of The Only Way is Up by Yazz, with lyrics adapted to reference the Eurostar delay

The train had left Brussels at 08:52 local time (07:52 BST) and was due to arrive at London St Pancras International at 09:57 BST. But a power failure between Lille and Calais left the train with no onboard electricity, Eurostar said in a statement. Lidia Aviles, 38, from Brussels, said passengers were not allowed to leave the train for hours due to security concerns regarding people standing near the rails. During that period, several passengers messaged Eurostar on X, complaining of no air conditioning, overflowing toilets and a lack of updates. "Toilets were not working. This is terrible, especially for babies and elderly people," Ms Aviles said. James Grierson said "multiple passengers" were "suffering" on the hot train. Eurostar said the doors were opened to help with airflow. The train was evacuated at around 16:00 local time (15:00 BST), passengers told the BBC. Pictures from the scene showed dozens of people stood outside the stationary train, along with rescuers in high-vis jackets - one carrying an armful of bottled water.

James Grierson Passengers said local rescue teams attended the train hours after it had stopped

McLaren's Lando Norris took his first home victory in a chaotic, dramatic, rain-affected British Grand Prix.

Norris benefited from a 10-second penalty handed to team-mate Oscar Piastri, who was found to have driven erratically during a restart after one of three safety-car periods at Silverstone.

Piastri had led the race calmly through a heavy shower of rain and series of incidents but was passed by Norris when he served his penalty at his final pit stop in the closing laps.

Norris appeared to be crying in his helmet on the slowing-down lap and described the win as "beautiful".

It reduces his deficit to Piastri in the drivers' championship to eight points.

"Apart from a championship, I think this is as good as it gets in terms of feelings and in terms of achievement, being proud, all of it," Norris said.

"The last few laps, I was just looking into the crowd. I was just trying to take it all in, enjoy the moment, because it might never happen again. I hope it does. But these are memories that I'll bring with me forever."

Nico Hulkenberg, 37, took his first podium finish at the 239th attempt - setting a new record for the longest time before finishing in the top three - after a strong race for Sauber.

The German managed to keep Lewis Hamilton's Ferrari at bay in the closing laps as Red Bull's Max Verstappen came home fifth.

A girls' summer camp cut short by deadly disaster

3 hours ago Share Save Gary O'Donoghue Chief North America correspondent Reporting from Kerr County, Texas Ana Faguy BBC News Share Save

REUTERS/Sergio Flores Stuffed animals sit in a windowsill at Camp Mystic after a deadly flooding in Kerr County, Texas.

Camp Mystic, a Christian girls' camp perched on the banks of the Guadalupe River in Texas, was a place of laughter, prayer and adventure just days ago. Among the girls at the camp was eight-year-old Renee Smajstrla, smiling ear-to-ear in a picture "having the time of her life" with her friends. But the next day, the camp she and so many other young girls loved turned into the site of one of the deadliest flood disasters in recent Texas history. Renee was among those killed. "She will forever be living her best life at Camp Mystic," her uncle Shawn Salta wrote on Facebook. Photos show the eerie aftermath: bunk beds mud-caked and toppled, the detritus of a summer camp cut tragically short. Destroyed personal belongings are scattered across soaked interiors where children once gathered for Bible study and campfire songs.

Camp Mystic Renee Smajstrla

At least 59 people - among them the camp's longtime director, Richard "Dick" Eastland, and several young campers - have been confirmed dead. Eleven of its campers and one camp counsellor are missing. Many of the unaccounted-for girls were reportedly sleeping in low-lying cabins less than 500ft (150m) from the riverbank. Stella Thompson, 13, was in a cabin on higher ground at the camp when storms awoke her early on Friday. As helicopters began buzzing overhead, she realised something was badly wrong. The girls in her cabin learned the Guadalupe River side of the camp had flooded. "When we got that news, we were all, like, hysterical and praying a lot," Stella told a Dallas NBC affiliate. "And the whole cabin was really, really terrified, but not for ourselves, worried for those on the other side."

Watch: Drone footage show catastrophic flooding in Georgetown

Stella described the "horrific" scenes as she and other survivors were evacuated by military trucks. "You'd see kayaks in trees… then there was first responders in the water pulling out girls. "And there were huge trees ripped out of the ground and their roots, and it didn't look like Camp Mystic anymore." On Sunday, the rain was pouring down as the BBC reached the camp. The entrance was cordoned off by police and the rubble of what might have been some kind of gatehouse was strewn across the ground. More rain is forecast, which will make the rescue effort even harder. Three days after the deluge, hope is fading and this is rapidly becoming a recovery exercise more than a rescue mission.

Getty Images

Camp Mystic has been operated by the same family for generations, offering girls a chance to grow "spiritually" in a "wholesome" Christian atmosphere, according to its website. Families from all across Texas, including the political elite, and the US send their daughters each summer to swim, canoe, ride horses and form lifelong friendships. But the beauty of the Guadalupe River, which draws so many to the area, also proved deadly. The floodwaters arrived with little warning, ripping through the picturesque riverfront area that is home to nearly 20 youth camps. Though Camp Mystic suffered the greatest losses, officials say the scale of the disaster is far-reaching. Nearby, the all-girls camp Heart O' the Hills also faced flooding. Its co-owner and director, Jane Ragsdale, was among the dead. Fortunately, the camp was out of session at the time. A statement from the camp said: "Most of those who were on camp at the time have been accounted for and are on high ground… We are mourning the loss of a woman who influenced countless lives and was the definition of strong and powerful." An unknown number of other campers were in the area for the holiday weekend.

Getty Images

IDF says it killed Hamas commander in cafe strike that killed dozens of civilians

Saleh was a "significant source of knowledge" within Hamas and had been involved in planning and advancing "maritime terrorist attacks", the IDF said.

In a statement on Sunday, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said the strike killed Ramzi Ramadan Abd Ali Saleh, along with Hisham Ayman Atiya Mansour, deputy head of Hamas's mortar unit, and Nissim Muhammad Suleiman Abu Sabha.

After the attack on the popular al-Baqa cafe in Gaza City on Monday, family members in Gaza and abroad told the BBC of their shock at the scale of civilian casualties.

Israeli forces say they killed the commander of Hamas's naval force in northern Gaza in a strike on a seaside cafe in which dozens of civilians were killed.

Sources in Gaza had previously told the BBC a senior Hamas commander was rumoured to have been at the cafe at the time of the strike.

The IDF also said it had taken steps "to mitigate the risk of harming civilians" but did not provide any further details as to why so many people were killed in the incident.

The BBC has reviewed 29 names of people reported killed in the strike on the cafe, at least nine of whom were women, while several were children and teenagers.

Those killed included artists, students, social activists, a female boxer, a footballer and cafe staff.

Staff at Shifa Hospital, which received bodies from the attack, said its toll as of Thursday had reached 40 dead, including people who had succumbed to their injuries, and unidentified bodies.

An official at the hospital said some of the bodies had been "blown to pieces", and that 72 injured patients were brought there - many having sustained severe burns and significant injuries that required surgery.

The al-Baqa Cafeteria was well-known across the Gaza Strip, and considered by many to be among the territory's most scenic and vibrant meeting spots.

It had remained popular even during the war, especially due to its unusually stable internet connection.

The IDF did not directly respond to multiple BBC questions about whether it considered the number of civilian casualties to be proportionate.

In its statement on Sunday it said it would "continue to operate against the Hamas terrorist organization in order to remove any threat posed to Israeli civilians", before saying the "incident" was "under review".

Meanwhile, indirect talks between Israel and Hamas began in Qatar on Sunday to discuss the latest proposal for a Gaza ceasefire and hostage release deal.

The Israeli military launched a campaign in Gaza in response to the 7 October 2023 attack, in which about 1,200 people were killed and 251 others were taken hostage.

At least 57,338 people have been killed in Gaza since then, according to the territory's Hamas-run health ministry.

Jamie Smith offered admirable final-day resistance but India's superb bowlers completed a thumping 336-run victory over England in the second Test at Edgbaston to level the series at 1-1.

The hosts largely put aside their attacking instincts, ignoring their target of 608, but were bowled out for 271 with 27 overs left on day five as they attempted to salvage a draw.

In a fine spell of seam bowling after heavy morning rain, Akash Deep had Ollie Pope playing onto his stumps in the third over and then produced a wicked nipbacker to pin Harry Brook lbw for 23.

After Ben Stokes fell in the final over before lunch, ending a partnership lasting 115 balls with Smith, England's wicketkeeper threw some counter-punches to follow his first-innings 184 not out with 88.

But, having hit four sixes, he holed out on the hook to give the irresistible Deep his first five-wicket haul in his eighth Test.

Amid a sea of Indian support, Deep took the final wicket of Brydon Carse to finish with 6-99 and 10 in the match.

India, whose chances were doubted after England's fine win in Headingley last week, leave Birmingham with their first Test victory at Edgbaston at the ninth attempt.

It also brilliantly sets up the remainder of the series, which continues at Lord's on Thursday.

Man arrested over damage to Windrush portraits

Friends of Windrush Square had said the vandalism was "an attack on public art"

Ros Griffiths, Chair of the Friends of Windrush Square

The vandalism of Windrush generation portraits is not being treated as a hate crime, the Met police said after they arrested a man in connection with the incident.

Portraits featured in the Windrush Untold Stories exhibition, currently installed in Windrush Square in Brixton, south London, were damaged on Thursday.

A 24-year-old was detained on Saturday on suspicion of vandalism and remains in police custody.

Friends of Windrush Square, a community group in Brixton, had said on Thursday the vandalism was "an attack on public art" and claimed it was driven by "racial hatred".

Lando Norris did not let a cut nose dampen his celebrations after winning his first British Grand Prix.

Norris might end up with a second scar on his nose, to match one caused by a glass cut last year, after a photographer fell off the pit-wall barriers and knocked the McLaren driver's winner's trophy into his face as he was trying to celebrate his Silverstone victory with the fans.

But a little while later he was up on the fan stage, two strips of medical tape on his injury, with team-mate Oscar Piastri and McLaren chief executive officer Zak Brown.

Norris did three 'shoeys', the celebration where a winner drinks champagne out of his shoe brought to Formula 1 from Australian sport by his former team-mate Daniel Ricciardo, and Piastri and Brown followed suit.

It was the least he - and they - deserved after a demanding, incident-packed, intensely difficult race in constantly changing conditions between wet and dry, which Piastri would have won but for a controversial penalty for what was adjudged a safety-car infringement.

Piastri will be stewing over that one for a while, but while Norris inherited the win, there was little to choose between them all weekend. And the Briton was pressing Piastri hard at the time the Australian pitted for tyres for the final time and served the penalty.

Both had driven exceptional races, in a different class to the rest of the field, in a car that looked as impressive as it has done all season.

"Eventful race," Norris, 25, said. "It means a huge amount. Being on top in your home race is very, very special."

If a bad team plays badly, it does not hurt so much.

When a team that can be great gets thrashed, those are the ones that really cause pain.

And that is why Ben Stokes' England Test team are stuck in this cycle of frustration.

From the sensational win at Headingley last week, to a thrashing in the second Test in Birmingham.

Whenever England take two steps forward, there is always a defeat that knocks them back. It is familiar issues which are hurting them too...

Cameron Norrie says a "well-deserved fall" to the court signalled his relief at holding off a spirited fightback from Chilean qualifier Nicolas Jarry to reach the Wimbledon quarter-finals.

British number three Norrie led by two sets - and held a match point in the third-set tie-break - before finally securing a 6-3 7-6 (7-4) 6-7 (7-9) 6-7 (5-7) 6-3 win under the Court One roof.

The victory kept alive British interest in the singles at the All England Club and set up a meeting with two-time defending champion Carlos Alcaraz.

"I've never fallen to the floor in a match, and I think it was just how tough it was to get there," Norrie said.

After missing his first opportunity, the 29-year-old left-hander regrouped admirably to seal his progress - almost two hours later - at the second opportunity.

The piercing roar which greeted victory indicated Norrie's delight at coming through a bruising battle where he needed all of his characteristic determination and endurance.

Asked how he had come through a scrap lasting four hours and 27 minutes, Norrie said: "Honestly, I don't know. Nico did an unbelievable job of sticking with me. I had to keep fighting."

Lewis Hamilton said the Ferrari he drove in the wet-dry British Grand Prix "was the most difficult car I've driven in these conditions".

The seven-time champion finished fourth at Silverstone behind the McLarens of Lando Norris and Oscar Piastri and Sauber's Nico Hulkenberg.

The race started on a damp track which dried a little before a heavy rain shower and then dried again. The event was packed with incident and featured three safety cars.

"The car was unbelievably tricky to drive. I think ultimately I learned a lot today, there's lots to take from the day," said Hamilton, who has won a record nine British Grands Prix.

"It's only my second time driving in the wet in this car. I can't even express to you how hard it is. It's not a car that likes those conditions.

"For me, (it's important) to sit down with the people that are designing the car for next year. Because there's elements of this car that cannot go into the following year."

Is the UK really any safer 20 years on from 7/7?

16 minutes ago Share Save Dominic Casciani • @BBCDomC Home and Legal Correspondent Share Save

BBC

There are extraordinary secret surveillance images - now largely forgotten - that in their own grainy and mysterious way, tell the story of missed opportunities that maybe, just maybe, could have stopped the horrific suicide attacks that took place in London 20 years ago. They are images of the ringleader of the 7/7 bombings - first caught on camera at an al-Qaeda-associated training camp in the Lake District in 2001. Two more images from 2004 show him - name and intentions then unknown - meeting a different cell of bomb plotters outside London and being followed by an MI5 team as he made his way back to Leeds.

PA Media A surveillance photo shows Mohammed Sidique Khan (right) the ringleader of the 7/7 bombings

Nobody joined all these dots, and worked out the man was Mohammad Sidique Khan until he and the three other members of his gang had killed 52 people with their four homemade bombs. Despite being seen meeting other men of real concern, he was never made a priority for investigation. Listen to the series State of Terror on BBC Radio 4 from later today For months I have been asking many of the top people - from prime ministers through to former extremists - to reflect on what they have learned over the 20 years since 7/7. Sir Tony Blair was prime minister on 7/7. Hindsight, he told me, was a wonderful thing. I've found that the British state has, arguably, the most evolved and sophisticated suite of powers and tools possible to identify, disrupt, prosecute, ban and jail people for terrorism offences. But at the same time the threats that those powers are being used to counter today are so much more complex than they were in 2005. And so, 20 years since 7/7, are we any safer now than we were then?

'Of course it was a failure'

The 7/7 attacks were the worst wake-up call imaginable for the UK's then outdated counter-terrorism operations. Until that day in 2005, the UK's response to terrorism groups was heavily influenced by the experience of combating the IRA, which organised itself along military lines. Al-Qaeda (AQ) was also broadly organised in a military way - directing its adherents, including the 7/7 bombers. But the key lesson from 7/7 was that this analogy only went so far. MI5 and the police realised they had to work closer together to penetrate AQ's cells. MI5 teams were the experts in secretly gathering intelligence. They could bug, burgle and listen to "subjects of interest", to use the jargon. But in the run-up to 7/7, the agency often fell short of sharing that information widely and quickly enough.

PA Media Video footage taken by emergency services of the scene at Russell Square Tube station in London, after a bomb blast onboard a train

Peter Clarke was the Metropolitan Police officer in charge of counter-terrorism policing at the time of 7/7. "I haven't spoken to anybody who was involved in either counter-terrorism or in the intelligence agencies, who don't regard it as a failure," he told me. "Of course it was." The failure was complex. Lord Jonathan Evans, the former head of MI5 - and at the time of 7/7, the deputy head - highlights the pressure intelligence teams were under. "You have to make choices in counter-terrorism investigations. You can't investigate everything, so the question is are you investigating the most immediately threatening intelligence and making the right priority calls?" The reason why the future 7/7 ringleader was put to one side in 2004 was that there was no substantial intelligence that he was actually planning an attack. The agencies were focusing on a huge bomb plot they knew about - Operation Crevice. It was run by the men Khan was seen meeting. But the brutal fact was that they had no idea that Khan could be a serious threat because he had been discounted as a priority for further investigation.

How MI5 foiled the liquid bomb plot

The 2005 attacks forced the agency and police to think deeply about how they could end a doom loop of not investigating someone because they had decided they didn't know enough to think they were worth investigating. Some of that was about funding - and there was a huge injection into counter-terrorism in the years that followed. But more importantly MI5, alongside their partners in the police, began to develop a better "triage" system to work out which of the thousands of potential plotters they had titbits of intelligence about needed to be prioritised. That helped get the police closer, more quickly, to the point where they could seize evidence to land someone in jail.

Metropolitan Police via Getty Images After 7/7, Parliament created a new offence of preparing for acts of terrorism

Nowhere was this more successful than in Operation Overt, which came a year after 7/7. The Overt plotters had an al-Qaeda recipe for a liquid bomb disguised as a soft drink - and they planned to blow up transatlantic planes. MI5 captured in extraordinary detail the gang's preparations. They saw the men working with tools to make strange-looking devices from household items including drink bottles and camera flash circuits. Nobody was sure what they were up to - until the surveillance revealed the men recording "martyrdom" videos envisaging their own deaths mid-air. This time, the intelligence was being shared in almost real-time - and the police and prosecutors dived in and arrested and charged the gang before the devices were finally ready. The success of Operation Overt shows that plots could be disrupted early. Lord Evans points to another critical shift in thinking. "We had always been predominantly, not exclusively, a London-based organisation," he says. "But when you recognise that the 7/7 bombers came down from Yorkshire, the threat was national. "We needed to have an effective regional network working very closely with the police in the major cities and that was accelerated and was a very successful way of ensuring that we were able to find out what was happening in Manchester or Birmingham or wherever as effectively as we had traditionally done in London."

Then, in 2006, Parliament created a new offence of preparing for acts of terrorism. This meant the police could swoop in even earlier than in the case of Operation Overt - even before an attacker's plan was settled. All they needed now was to show a court that an individual had a terrorism mindset and was taking steps towards an outrage - such as researching targets, even if their plan was not finalised. Max Hill KC led some of the UK's most complex terrorism trials - and went on to be the Director of Public Prosecutions between 2018 and 2023. He always wanted the strongest case to put to a jury and judge - in order to get the longest possible sentence to protect the public. But in the case of a bomb-maker, that presented a dilemma for the police and MI5. "How long to let a person run towards their ultimate aim of deploying devices?" he says. "The longer you leave it, the more serious the jail sentence. But the longer you wait, the greater the risk that there will be damage or harm." Success after success followed - and cells of plotters were also increasingly infiltrated by spooks finding secret ways to capture chats about plans. Until, that is, the rise of the self-styled Islamic State, which changed all of that once again.

DIY attacks across Europe

By 2014, thousands of young radicalised men and women had flocked to the territory the group had seized in Syria and Iraq, convinced that the ultra-violent movement was building a utopian state. Its ideologues told some followers, who could not travel, to plan their own attacks at home and without any direction from commanders. This was a new and terrifying prospect - and led to a wave of DIY attacks across Europe, including in the UK. So the government turned to other tools to "disrupt" extremists coming home from abroad, by cancelling their passports or stripping citizenship. The first of a number of attacks in 2017 was committed by a killer who drove into pedestrians on Westminster Bridge before stabbing to death a police officer at the gates of Parliament. He acted without warning and seemingly alone, rapidly self-radicalising - moving from thought to violence before his intentions became clear to anyone else.

In Pictures via Getty Images and Anadolu Agency via Getty Images In 2017 a killer drove into pedestrians on Westminster Bridge before stabbing to death a police officer at the gates of Parliament

The rapidity of these attacks - and the regularity of them, disrupted or acted out, had an extraordinary consequence that further complicated the picture. Far-right extremists watched and learned and, seeking a form of "revenge", became determined to respond in kind. In 2015, a 25-year-old member of National Action, a now banned extreme right-wing group, carried out a racist attack on a Sikh-heritage dentist in a supermarket. The attacker acted alone. The man who murdered Jo Cox MP a year later, during the Brexit referendum, planned and acted in a similar manner. This DIY rapid violence did not rely on personal connections to puppet-masters. It was increasingly linked to how extremists found and absorbed extremist material all over the internet.

AFP via Getty Images Jo Cox was a Labour MP for Batley and Spen and died after being shot and stabbed in her constituency

But that also presented an opportunity. The security service and partners - including the FBI - created teams of "online role-players". They would pose as extremist recruiters in vile chat groups to identify would-be attackers and befriend them. It began to work. One early success in 2017 saw a young man, angry at the death of his uncle who had been fighting in Syria, ask these spies for a bomb to attack Downing Street. It was a crazy and unrealisable plan. But he genuinely wanted to do it. The Prevent system - which was set up to identify potential extremists and to stop them supporting terrorism - struggled to win public support amid fears that it was a network to spy on people. But today it is a vital tool in the state's armoury - with figures showing that since 2015, some 5,000 young people have been identified as being at risk of extremism and given support, typically through counselling and mentoring, to reject it.

Why MI5 failed to stop the Manchester bombing

The Manchester Arena terror attack of 2017 - in which 22 people were killed - revealed that MI5 missed a significant chance to focus on the would-be suicide bomber and stop him - but it also revealed how lax security at public gatherings could be exploited. Figen Murray's son Martyn Hett was one of the 22 killed. "You don't ever come to terms with it," she tells me. "It's the brutality, the randomness. These people who commit terrorist attacks do not care who they kill. They don't select people in most cases. "Our loved ones are pawns in a big game, because terrorists really want to make a statement against the state." Her grief spurred her on to come up with one of the biggest legal changes of the last 20 years - a practical measure to protect people if the security services fail to spot an incoming threat.

Oli Scarff/AFP via Getty Images In 2017, 22 people were killed in a suicide bombing at The Manchester Arena

Along with Nick Aldworth, a former senior police officer, they lobbied government to create "Martyn's Law". The legislation - which is coming into force over two years - requires venues to have a security plan to help stop acts of terrorism on their premises. In time, sites with more than 800 people will need extra measures such as CCTV or security staff and all venues that can hold more than 200 people will have to devise some kind of plan to protect the public and make sure their staff know how to act on it in an emergency. At the O2 Arena in London, for example, staff process arriving guests a bit like they are going through an airport. There are machines available to scan for weapons too.

Violence without an ideology

Deputy Assistant Commissioner Vicky Evans, the current head of counter-terrorism policing, says her officers are seeing suspects getting younger, with violent material on the internet playing a role in that. In some cases officers are trying to work out what to do about people bent on extreme violence, inspired by acts of terrorism, but who have no clear-cut ideology. Many of these complex cases are referred by the police to the Prevent counter-radicalisation programme to see if specialist mentors can help.

Peter Powell/AFP via Getty Images After the Southport attack, riots broke out across England

The case of the Southport murderer Alex Rudakubana - who had been repeatedly flagged to Prevent - is at the heart of a debate about internet-fuelled violence. The forthcoming public inquiry will look for answers, and may even mean we have to rethink what we mean by the word "terrorism". The Home Secretary Yvette Cooper's recent decision to ban Palestine Action under terrorism laws - for causing massive criminal damage - is further adding to a national debate about what threats the counter-terrorism network should confront. Today, many many more powers are in place - and the UK's counter-terrorism network, which has a dedicated secret headquarters in London, is a well-oiled machine. But the threat is more diverse than ever. Since 2017, the police say there have been 15 domestic terrorism incidents and they have disrupted 43 "late-stage" plots. In the wake of the 2005 attacks, Sir Tony Blair was accused of trampling over civil liberties in the search for the right set of powers he thought the security services needed. I asked whether he had got the balance right - and the posed back at me will be in the mind of every one of his successors. "The most fundamental basic liberty is to be protected from violence - and particularly random terrorist violence," he said. "You've got to ask yourself, are the policy tools we have in our toolbox adequate to deal with the threat?"

Additional Reporting: Jonathan Brunert Top image credits: AFP via Getty and Justin Talli

Post Office scandal victim: 'I need someone to be punished'

11 minutes ago Share Save Emma Simpson and Tom Espiner Business correspondent and Business reporter Share Save

BBC Harjinder Butoy says he lost everything from the day he was sentenced

Former sub-postmaster Harjinder Butoy spent more time in prison than any other victim of the Post Office Horizon IT scandal. After 18 months in jail, it then took another 15 years to clear his name. He is one of dozens of sub-postmasters who gave evidence to the official inquiry into what happened. The inquiry chair, Sir Wyn Williams, will deliver the first part of his final report on Tuesday, which will focus on the human impact of the scandal and will also look at compensation. But Mr Butoy is not sure he will be able to watch. "It's going to bring back too many bad memories for me," he told the BBC, adding he needs "someone to be punished".

The Post Office scandal is believed to be one of the biggest miscarriages of justices in UK history. Thousands of victims were wrongly blamed for financial losses from the faulty Horizon computer system which was rolled out across the Post Office branch network from 1999. More than 900 people were prosecuted and 236 were sent to prison. Mr Butoy was one of them, convicted of stealing more than £200,000 from his branch in Nottinghamshire in 2007. "We lost everything from the day I got sentenced. We lost our business. I had to declare bankruptcy. My wife and three kids had to move back in with my parents, " he says. After he was released from prison his conviction meant he struggled to find work and his health also suffered. "I just want everyone to know the impact, what's happened to us all. But I also need someone to be punished and let them go to prison and feel like what we've been through," he says. His conviction was overturned in 2021. Parliament later passed a law exonerating all those who had been convicted.

'Huge day'

The inquiry heard from 189 people who gave evidence on how the scandal had turned their lives upside down. Many lost their businesses, some lost their homes, and most lost their reputations and financial security. The second part of the inquiry's report – on how the scandal happened and why – may not be published until 2026.

Nichola Arch (left) and Wendy Buffrey say the publication of the report will be "huge"

Although Harjinder Butoy may not be watching, Wendy Buffrey and Nichola Arch will be among dozens of victims and their families travelling to hear Sir Wyn speak as he presents Volume 1 of his report. Many more will be watching the proceedings livestreamed over the internet. Mrs Buffrey, who had a Post Office in Cheltenham, was suspended after an audit in December 2008 and prosecuted. She had to sell her house and business to pay off the alleged shortfall in her accounts, and has suffered with her mental health. She says the publication of the report is going to be "a huge day". "To actually have the establishment recognise what they've put us through is huge," she said. "The apologies we've had from the Post Office have been so mealy-mouthed, not thought through, and really not sincere." Mrs Arch, who managed the Chalford Hill branch near Stroud, says: "You would hope the government would acknowledge every detail of that report." She was accused of stealing from pensioners, shunned by her local community, and spat on outside a local supermarket. After two years she was found not guilty, "but the damage had been done by then". The impact on her family was "like a tsunami", she says. "It's like a cobweb. It just affects every single friend, family, child, you know, connected to you."

'Painful' compensation issue

Israel launches strikes on Houthi targets in Yemen

Israel says it has launched strikes on Houthi targets in three Yemeni ports, including the western port of Hodeidah, Ras Isa and Saif.

The attacks come shortly after the Israeli military issued evacuation orders for civilians in the areas, warning of imminent air strikes.

Israeli defence minister Israel Katz confirmed on social media the strikes on the Houthi-controlled sites including a power station and ship that was hijacked by the group two years ago.

Houthi-run media in Yemen said the strikes hit the port of Hodeidah, but no further details were provided on damage or casualties.

Nursery teachers to get £4,500 to work in disadvantaged areas

Education Secretary Bridget Phillipson said the plans would "help give our youngest children the very best start in life" - but the Conservatives said Labour's tax changes had hit nurseries hard.

The scheme is part of a wider strategy designed to narrow the attainment gap among pre-school children due to be unveiled on Monday.

The incentives are designed to attract and retain fully qualified staff in 20 areas, the education department said on Monday without confirming exactly which places would benefit.

Early years teachers in England will be offered tax-free payments of £4,500 to work in nurseries in disadvantaged areas as part of government efforts to boost standards.

The government said it would spend £1.5 billion on its so-called Best Start in Life strategy, which builds on Labour's campaign pledge to reform services for the youngest children in order to drive up education and health standards.

The education department said only one in 10 nurseries currently have a specialist early years teacher.

The direct payments to trained teachers are intended to incentivise staff to work in areas with the most acute needs.

Payments will begin next year, though no details about the eligibility criteria have been published.

Also included in the package of reforms is a proposal to increase the number of Ofsted inspection nurseries undergo, including ensuring all new providers are assessed within 18 months.

Announcing the plans, Phillipson said "the best way of reducing inequalities is by tackling them early".

On Sunday, the government also said it would fund new local hubs to offer youth services and support for parents, which are modelled on the Sure Start centres set up under the New Labour government and largely closed after 2010.

Neil Leith of the Early Years Alliance said the early years announcement was a "positive development" but warned the strategy would only work "if it is backed up with the tangible support - financial or otherwise".

Shadow education minister Neil O'Brien said that an increase in employers' National Insurance contributions had left nurseries across the country "on the brink".

Some have had to "hike fees or shut their doors", he said, adding: "Families are being left to face higher childcare costs and fewer places."

Bereavement leave to be extended to miscarriages before 24 weeks

Deputy Prime Minister Angela Rayner said the change will give "people time away from work to grieve".

As it stands, bereavement leave is only available to parents who lose an unborn child after 24 weeks of pregnancy.

The government is set to amend the Employment Rights Bill to give parents the legal right to take time off work to grieve if they experience pregnancy loss at any stage.

Parents who experience a miscarriage before 24 weeks of pregnancy will be entitled to bereavement leave under a planned law change.

"No one who is going through the heartbreak of pregnancy loss should have to go back to work before they are ready," Rayner said.

Parents are currently entitled to a fortnight's leave if they suffer pregnancy loss after 24 weeks, or if a child younger than 18 dies.

The extended right to leave will be for "at least" one week, though the exact length is still being consulted on.

The Employment Rights Bill, which includes further measures to protect in law the right of employees to have time off to grieve the loss of a loved one, is already making its way through Parliament.

Labour MP Sarah Owen, who chairs the Women and Equalities Committee, has previously campaigned for the change.

In 2021, she told MPs that after her own miscarriage she felt physically better in a few days but had "all the classic signs" of grieving.

"I could not eat, I could not sleep. I really did not hold much hope that life would ever get brighter," she said.

In March, business minister Justin Madders told MPs he accepted the principle of bereavement leave for pregnancy loss and promised to look at adding the right to the Employment Rights Bill.

Vicki Robinson, chief executive of the Miscarriage Association, welcomed the announcement.

She said it was "a hugely important step that acknowledges the often very significant impact of pre-24-week loss, not only for those experiencing the physical loss, but for their partners too".

Lena Dunham on fatphobia, dating advice and her new London rom-com

9 minutes ago Share Save Yasmin Rufo BBC News Share Save

Getty Images Dunham's move to London in 2021 inspired her new rom-com

Lena Dunham is almost synonymous with New York City. The US actress, writer and director rose to fame with her award-winning semi-autobiographical series Girls, which followed four 20-something women as they navigated love, life and friendship in the Big Apple. But her latest project - a Netflix rom-com loosely based on her life over the last few years - is set on the other side of the Atlantic. Too Much follows Jessica (Megan Stalter), who moves from New York to London after breaking up with her boyfriend, and falls in love with punk musician Felix (Will Sharpe). Just as Dunham did when she moved to London in 2021, Jessica quickly learns the important things about the UK: everybody loves Paddington, the Jaffa Cake debate is highly contentious (it's definitely a biscuit) and a "housing estate" isn't the sprawling gardens of a lavish manor house. Dunham tells the BBC that while Too Much has "superficial similarities" to her life and is "about 5% autobiographical", she didn't see herself ever playing the show's protagonist in the way she did in Girls. "I didn't consider Jessica to be me - she's inspired by my life but is her own character and was written with Megan in mind," she says. Megan Stalter says Girls "was all about sex and Too Much is about falling in love", which is a similar to how Dunham sees the show.

Netflix Dunham says there are some autobiographical elements to Too Much

There was also another reason she chose to step away from the spotlight. While filming Girls, in her 20s, Dunham's body was heavily scrutinised and last year, she told the New Yorker she "was not up for having my body dissected again". She explains that body shaming was part of the reason she stepped further behind the camera. "Just being perceived was overwhelming," she says. Dunham has spent the past few years focusing on writing projects that don't centre her as an actor. She believes society has made some strides towards being more body positive, but says the culture we live in is still "so deeply fatphobic, misogynistic, racist and ageist and that informs our dynamic with our body". The 39-year-old has been vocal about challenges she's faced with her health, particularly her endometriosis, which led her to have a hysterectomy aged 31. Asked how her relationship with her body has changed since then, she says she's developed a new love for how she looks. "I've been able to have a relationship with my body that exists outside of the cultural pressures and I feel lucky for that."

Getty Images Girls ran for six series between 2012 and 2017

As well as reflecting on how her self image has changed, Dunham also says she's learned a lot since her 20s. Having been in the spotlight for more than decade, the actress has had her fair share of controversies. In 2017, she defended Girls writer Murray Miller when he was accused of sexual assault. Dunham later apologised, saying it was "absolutely the wrong time" to share her perspective. Miller vehemently denied the claims and was not charged. She also apologised for a "distasteful joke" she had made on a podcast saying she wished she'd experienced a termination when discussing the US abortion. "I thought, back then, it was important to just keep going and be tough no matter what happened," she reflects. "I was so focused on work and not letting any of the noise in but I wish I had allowed myself to take more time and space. We all have to acknowledge our own complexities and sensitivities but it's hard to wrap your head around that when you're in your 20s."

'I've felt like I'm too much'

Dunham's new 10-episode series stars Hacks actor Megan Stalter and Will Sharpe, best known for playing Ethan Spiller in The White Lotus and films such as A Real Pain. Sharpe, 38, says he relates to the challenges his character faces, as "everyone carries baggage from their previous relationship" and feels vulnerable when they enter a new one. Stalter relates to her character too. The 34-year-old says she often "felt like she was too much" in her 20s but with time, has come to be proud of her who she is.

Netflix Megan Stalter and Will Sharpe say they both see similarities between themselves and their characters in Too Much

King's message of unity for 7/7 attack anniversary

King Charles warned against "those who would seek to divide us"

King Charles has called on people to stand united "against those who would seek to divide us", in a message marking the 20th anniversary of the 7/7 attacks in London.

He condemned the "senseless acts of evil" that saw bombs detonated on the capital's public transport system, killing 52 people and injuring more than 700.

The King called for a "spirit of unity" and said the attacks had shown the importance of "building a society where people of all faiths and backgrounds can live together with mutual respect and understanding".

Commemorative events will be held in the capital on Monday, remembering the victims of the 7 July 2005 bombings, carried out by Islamist extremists.

How tariffs are shifting global supply chains

10 minutes ago Share Save David Silverberg Business reporter Reporting from Toronto Share Save

Learning Resources Rick Woldenberg says he believes in taking action rather than just "hoping for the best"

A 90-day pause on Donald Trump's sweeping tariffs plan is about to expire on Wednesday, which could upend US trading relationships with the rest of the world. But the uncertainty of the last few months has already forced several companies to rethink their supply lines in radical ways. When an Illinois toymaker heard that Trump was introducing tariffs on Chinese imports, he was so incensed that he decided to sue the US government. "I'm inclined to stand up when my company is in genuine peril," says Rick Woldenberg, who is the CEO of educational toy firm Learning Resources. The majority of his company's products are made in China, so the tariffs, which US importers have to pay, not Chinese exporters, are now costing him a fortune. He says his import taxes bill leapt from around $2.5m (£1.5m) a year to more than $100m in April when Trump temporarily increased tariffs on Chinese imports to 145%. That would have "devastated" the company, he says. "This kind of impact on my business is just a little bit hard to wrap my mind around," he says. With US tariffs on Chinese imports now at 30%, that's still unaffordable for many American companies such as Learning Resources. So in addition to its continuing legal fight, it is changing its global supply chain, moving production from China to Vietnam and India. These two countries, like most others around the world, have seen the US hit them with general 10% tariffs, two-thirds lower than those on China. Although these 10% tariffs are due to run out on Wednesday, 9 July, uncertainly remains over what they may be replaced by. Meanwhile, many Canadian companies, who often trade in both their home country and in the US, are now facing a double hit to their supply chains. These hits are the 25% tariffs put in place by Trump on many Canadian imports, and the reciprocal ones of the same level that Canada has placed on a host of American exports. And other businesses around the world are looking at exporting less to the US, because their American import partners are having to put up prices to cover the tariffs they now have to pay, which makes their products more expensive on US shelves.

At Learning Resources, Mr Woldenberg has now moved about 16% of manufacturing to Vietnam and India. "We have gone through the process of vetting the new factories, training them on what we needed, making sure that things could flow easily, and developing relationships." Yet he admits that there are uncertainties: "We don't know if they can handle the capacity of our business. Much less the whole world moving in there at the same time." He also points out that switching production to another country is expensive to organise. In the meantime, his legal case against the US tariffs, called "Learning Resources et al v Donald Trump et al" is continuing its way through the US court system. In May a judge at the US District Court in Washington DC ruled that the tariffs against it were unlawful. But the US government immediately appealed, and Learning Resources still has to pay the tariffs for the time being. So the firm is continuing to move production away from China.

Learning Resources Learning Resources has moved some of its production from China to Vietnam and India

Global supply chain expert Les Brand says that it is both expensive and difficult for companies to switch manufacturing to different countries. "Trying to find new sources for critical components of whatever you are doing - that's a lot of research," says Mr Brand, who is CEO of advisory firm Supply Chain Logistics. "There's a lot of quality testing to do it right. You have to spend the time, and that really takes away from the business focus." He adds: "The knowledge transfer to train a whole new bunch of people on how to make your product takes a lot of time and money. And that effects already razor-thin margins businesses have right now."

For Canadian fried chicken chain Cluck Clucks, its supply chain has been significantly impacted by Canada's revenge tariffs on US imports. This is because while its chicken is Canadian, it imports both specialist catering fridges and pressure fryers from the US. While it can't live without the fridges, it has decided to stop buying any more of the fryers. Yet with no Canadian company making alternative ones, it is having to limit its menus at its new stores. This is because it needs these pressure fryers to cook its bone-in chicken pieces. The new stores will instead only be able to sell boneless chicken, as that is cooked differently. "This was a substantial decision for us, but we believe it's the right strategic move," says Raza Hashim, Cluck Clucks CEO. "It's important to note that we do plan to retain the necessary kitchen space in new locations to reintroduce these fryers should the tariff uncertainty be completely resolved in the future." He also warns that with the US fridges now more expensive for the company to buy, the price it charges for its food will likely have to go up. "There is a certain amount of costs we cannot absorb as brands, and we may have to pass those on to consumers. And that is not something we want to do." Mr Hashim adds that the business is continuing with its US expansion plans, and it has set up local supply chains to source American chicken. It currently has one US outlet, in Houston, Texas.

Cluck Clucks Raza Hashim says he'll likely have to put up prices

Watch the moment Anastasia Pavlyuchenkova is denied winning a game due to the electronic line-calling system failing, resulting in the point being replayed and leading to Britain's Sonay Kartal winning the game in their fourth round match at Wimbledon 2025.

Watch live coverage from every court on BBC iPlayer.

Available to UK users only.

Zubiemendi's form led to reports that Real Madrid, managed by Xabi Alonso, might try to hijack the move.

And the appeal could have been great with Alonso having come through the same youth team - Antiguoko - as Zubimendi, as well as also playing for Real Sociedad and Spain in the same number six position.

But Zubimendi was set on Arsenal, where he is likely to take the position previously occupied by Thomas Partey.

Partey's Arsenal contract expired last Monday. He was charged on Thursday with five counts of rape and one count of sexual assault, all of which he denies.

The Ghana international, 32, played 35 Premier League games for Arsenal last season - mostly in central midfield. Jorginho, who has left the club and joined Flamengo, started nine.

While Zubimendi is expected to replace Partey in the Gunners team, another contender will be Denmark midfielder Christian Norgaard, who is set to join from Brentford.

Ramajo said: "One of Zubimendi's dreams is to play in the United Kingdom, as a true Premier League fan. And if he's going to leave the club of his life, it's better to fulfil a dream.

"[At Arsenal] he won't have the absurd pressure he'd be under if he stayed in La Liga, where they'd scrutinise everything he did."

Ghana international Partey, 32, played 35 Premier League games for Arsenal last season - mostly in central midfield. Jorginho, who has left the club and joined Flamengo, started nine.

While Partey drifted to the right side more for Arsenal (albeit including games at right-back), Zubimendi tended to go both ways - but more towards the left.

Rice played in the number six role for West Ham but usually appears further forward for Arsenal in a midfield three with Odegaard.

And Zubimendi's signing might free him up even more - with the Basque having better mobility than Partey, plus his focus on defending.

The Spaniard was more involved in his own half than Partey last season, with 56% of touches to Partey's 48%.

And only 27% of his passes ended up in the final third, compared with 32% of Partey's.

But Ramajo said: "He's a player capable of coming out from the back very neatly, able to break pressure lines with inside passes and with courageous skills, because Zubimendi is above all a forward-moving player.

"And he has an important quality - he's better with better team-mates around him, and he's also capable of improving them.

"I think his style can quickly adapt to the needs of the Premier League, and it can help him establish himself definitively among the elite of our continent's most important players."

Arsenal will hope their summer spending is not finished yet, with a proper striker on the agenda - which could also affect how their midfielders play.

A version of this article was first published on 17 June 2025